


Operazione CARLANDO

by Lux1224



Series: Winterbreak Writing Challenge [2]
Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Charles and his one brain cell are obsessed, First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, or are they?, scheming boys are not that good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:49:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28404279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lux1224/pseuds/Lux1224
Summary: All cars can self drive, it’s just some can drive longer without crashing, and these are the ones that need a bit of pushing from outside forces to get together in the pitlane.ORCharles and Daniel are so done with their teammates' sulking and stage an intervention.
Relationships: Lando Norris/Carlos Sainz Jr
Series: Winterbreak Writing Challenge [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2157735
Comments: 8
Kudos: 115
Collections: Winterbreak Writing Challenge (2020)





	Operazione CARLANDO

**Author's Note:**

> **WINTERBREAK F1 WRITING CHALLANGE** by [@scharletred ](https://scharletred.tumblr.com/)  
> New year, new beginnings.  
> The 2021 grid is quite different from last year’s. Focus on the line-up change you’re most excited about or the one that broke your heart. How will the drivers involved cope with the changes in their life?

[ ](https://ibb.co/d4W7jDd)

“ _Since gasoline contains ethanol, your car can only drive after you get it drunk_ ” says Daniel, sprawled on the sofa in the common area of the motor home.

"What?" Lando asks, looking up from his phone screen, frowning.

"I said: Since gasoline contains etha-" but Lando stops him "I heard what you said but... what the fuck?"

Daniel has been his team mate for over 3 months now and Lando likes him. 

He is cheerful, likeable, but knows how to be serious and capable in the fundamental moments concerning their career. Daniel always manages to snatch a smile from him even when Lando's thoughts fly in stormy skies... But every now and then he comes up with these weird sentences and Lando doesn't know whether to laugh or hit his head against the wall… or Daniel’s head for what it matters.

\---

Charles is trying to read the transcript of the briefing of the day before, but he can’t concentrate with Carlos in the chair in front of him. The older man is slouching down, legs spread, arms crossed and eyes almost covered with his red cap, but Charles can see his gaze fixed on his ex teammate who is laughing at something Daniel has said. 

If gazes could kill Daniel would be underground since the beginning of the 2021 season and at this point Charles needs to orchestrate an intervention. He can’t stand the almost constant sighs from his teammate anymore and there’s also the problem with the non existent sass and smile from his british best friend - he kind of misses his cheekiness, but he’d better not tell Lando.

\---

An insistent knock on the door wakes Daniel from his slumber. He was taking a nap after the race and before the flight that will take him back to England. 

Groaning, he tosses the blankets to one side and stumbles up to the door handle, rubbing his eye with one hand. He’s just in his boxers and a t-shirt when he opens the door to a red cheeked Charles Leclerc. 

Daniel doesn’t even have enough time to excuse the mess in his room that the younger one is pushing him to the side and entering.

Charles is walking up and down the length of the room, obsessively pushing his hands in his hair while Daniel watches him, trying to understand. “Leclerc, may I know why you disturbed my well deserved nap just for walking into my room and behaving like a psycho?” asks Daniel, a frown on his face.

Only then Charles raises his eyes crossing those of the older one. He comes dangerously close to the face of the other as if to say something and then returns to the bed and throws himself on it sideways. Legs dangling and hands on his face to suppress a groan.

“We need to stage an intervention” states Charles. “We do?” asks Daniel, a little bit confused.

“Yes. I don't know how the situation is for you, but I can't stand Carlos' long face when he sees Lando from a distance in the paddock, it's not even possible to take pictures of the team because as soon as he sees a blue race suit, his brain turns off and he starts to make puppy eyes as if someone has taken his favourite toy away from him. But the straw that broke the camel's back was today... It took us three hours to do the post-race briefing when we usually do it in 1 hour max because Carlos did nothing but stare into space. And do you know what he said when we asked him if he was ok? That he couldn't concentrate because he saw Lando's accident live and couldn't figure out if he was okay-" Charles begins, his voice more and more shrill and high with every word "It wasn't even an accident for fuck sake, he just went off the track!" continues the younger - eyes wide and cheeks flushed with enthusiasm and frustration in his words.

Realization comes down on Daniel. "I've always blamed Lando for being young and moody but you're not entirely wrong, I remember him being different, more cheerful the past few years. Come on, sit down" asserts Daniel, approaching his desk and gesturing to Charles to take the chair next to him. Then he rummages through the drawers and takes out some paper and pens, "Let's start the _Carlando operation_ ". 

\---

Daniel enters Lando's driver room and finds him curled up on the bean bag, the hood tight on his head and his phone in his hands. 

He doesn't notice it right away, but when he hears the younger one sniffling, Daniel looks at him more intensively and notices his red eyes and slightly shaking shoulders.

"Lando? Are you okay?" he asks. Not receiving any answers from the other - if not a sob half-stopped with a hand on his lips - Daniel approaches his teammate, places a hand on his shoulder and repeats the question. In response, Lando just shakes his head, more tears rolling down his already soaked cheeks. Daniel tries to understand what happened, but to every question Lando always answers with a negating nod. At loss, the Aussie opts for a hug. He knows that Lando doesn't really like physical contact, but he doesn't see any other way to comfort him. 

He slowly takes the phone out of his friend’s hands, as if he's dealing with a ferocious animal ready to launch an attack at any moment, but when his gaze falls on the still-lit screen, Daniel really struggles to hold back a laugh.

"Why are you laughing?!" Lando asks in a broken voice. 

"The real question is: why are you crying?" replies Daniel, a laugh in his voice, "are you really crying because a stupid compatibility test on ishimtherightone.com said that you and Carlos have 98% compatibility? Tell me. I'm confused", snorts the older one - a grin plastered on his face, that he just doesn't manage to get off.

Lando wipes his eyes with the sleeve of his sweatshirt and takes a breath with a bit of difficulty. "I know it's stupid. I know it's childish. But that damn test says 98% and he hasn't even written me a text for months".

Daniel takes pity on his younger teammate and sighs. "Have you ever thought about writing him a text?"

"But I don't know what to say to him, and it's been so long, maybe he doesn't even want to hear from me anymore" Lando replies, his voice a little choked with emotion.

"I'm not an expert at these things, but if you write him a simple - how are you? - or some comment about the race, I don't think he will tell you to fuck off." Lando nods and Daniel gets out of the room, leaving the little one alone with his thoughts.

\---

Carlos was outside of the motorhome, he needed a breath of fresh air and went out on the small balcony overlooking the main road, where all the people of the various teams passed to access their respective buildings. 

It's late in the afternoon and not many people are out. Carlos' attention is caught by some noises coming from the building in front of his. He can’t really see what is happening, but he cannot fail to recognize the screams of his previous teammate who’s shouting something at Daniel... after a while the two figures disappear from his view and he stays there, staring thoughtfully at the glimmer of light coming from the semi-closed window of Lando's room.

After a few seconds, Carlos’ phone pings. Listlessly he takes it out of his pocket and unlocks it with a swipe of his finger. His breathing, however, stops for a moment, when he sees who sent him the text... Lando.

Carlos realized last year that the affection he felt towards the younger one was not just platonic. The problem was that the timing was completely wrong. He was going to change teams, change countries, they wouldn't be able to see each other as much as before, he didn't even know if Lando felt anything for him or if he only saw him as a good friend. This is why he didn't want to risk confessing everything and losing a fantastic friendship like the one that they had created.

It’s also true, however, that the heart cannot be controlled, and that in the first months during the winter break, hearing Lando one day and the other via text or on the phone, and knowing that he cannot have the Brit all to himself, not being able to call him his, it hurt too much. So Carlos tried to create a distance, he stopped replying to Lando’s phone calls or messages... and now, after more than five months, he finds himself looking longingly at his favorite person going on with his life as if nothing had happened, as if Carlos's heart doesn't skip a beat every time he sees him laughing at someone else's jokes, as if Carlos doesn't spend sleepless nights staring at the black screen of his phone, hoping to see it light up with a notification.

And now, that notification has finally arrived after months of radio silence, Carlos' hands are shaking too much and he is almost afraid to click on the icon.

“ _Lego has produced more tires than michelin and goodyear combined_ ” 

“What?”, escapes from Carlos’ lips after reading the text from Lando.

He is confused, but not too much really. Lando has always been a peculiar person and this is one of the things that Carlos loves about him.

" _What about Pirelli? How much did they produce?_ ", he replies to the younger one.

After months of silence even this little interaction has brought a smile to Carlos' face... 

And if, after some initial hesitation, the two start writing again and spend the whole evening tapping away on their phones. 

And if at dinner Charles notices a couple of extra bruises on Daniel's arms, he writes him a text to find out what happened and the older one responds with a shrug and a " _Lando didn't text Carlos as I told him to do, so I stole his phone.. he didn't appreciate the gesture. But I don't regret it, his bad mood was coming through the wall of my room and disturbing my nap, now he's smiling_ ”.

No one cares because the important thing is that, on the serene faces of Carlos and Lando, the clouds have been blown away and replaced by a bright smile.

\---

The air is humid and it will probably start to rain soon. The sun is setting and the shadows of the buildings are getting longer and longer. Daniel is walking briskly. Charles has sent him a somewhat cryptic message and the only thing he has understood is that they have to meet up at the entrance to the paddock at 7 pm sharp. Shivering, he puts his hands in his pockets and rubs his hands on his arms, trying to keep some warmth in. He can already see the entrance, when he feels a hand grabbing him by the elbow and dragging him into the shadow of one of the motorhomes. 

His cry for help muffled by a hand pressed to his mouth. 

However, when the other figure whispers in his ear "Ssh, or they'll hear us!" Daniel immediately recognizes the Monegasque's accent and, with a stronger tug, he frees himself from the younger man's grip. He looks at him from head to toe and laughs. "What the heck are you wearing?", he asks, seeing Charles's all-black outfit, the hood pulled over his head and cap.

"They can't recognize us. If they do, the plan will fail", replies the younger one annoyed. "Come on, let's go to a more sheltered place... we have to think about the next move". 

Daniel shakes his head but follows Charles to one of the coffee tables and just because he wants to annoy the other man, yells at the bartender if he can get him a coffee - he earns a pinch from Charles, but the laughs that ensue were worth it.

"So, in conclusion, I think we should be more aggressive with our actions. Because as much as love makes us blind, those two really have slices of salami on their eyes" begins Charles and Daniel chuckles but nods, "Of _jamon_ , you mean". Charles punches him in the arm with a smile on his face.

"Yes, of _jamon_. But seriously, as happy as I am that they are back to writing and talking to each other, the situation hasn't improved" Charles mutters, running a hand over his face, frustrated.

"Don't tell me. McLaren, used to the past years of Lando and Carlos as teammates, always put our two rooms together and I spend my evenings listening to Lando giggling like a schoolgirl and talking with Carlos on the phone" replies Daniel.

"Oh, no, they are not on the phone, they're on facetime because - _hearing his voice is great but how can you not want to look him in the face when you make him laugh?_ \- quoting word for word what my teammate told me some days ago", shudders Charles and Daniel, miming a gagging, replies "I'd rather hear them fuck in the room next to mine, these sappy things make me sick. Do they really think no one has noticed their heart eyes for each other? The two of them are the only ones not seeing it!"

Charles jumps out of his chair and the older one notices the light that his eyes have taken to... he knows that nothing good will come out of this, but he can not help but get hit by the Monegasque's river of words.

\---

Lando is lying on the bed, trying to watch a YouTube video, but even with headphones in his ears, he can only focus on the regular tumphs coming from the room next to his. He is happy that Daniel is having fun, really, but it is not possible that Lando has to spend the nights with a pillow on his head or that his calls with Carlos cannot last as long as he would like to because, after a few minutes of calling, punctual as a Swiss clock, the loud noises begin from the wall of the neighboring room.

Lando can't take one more sleepless night. They had three weeks of back to back races, so he didn't even have the time to have a couple of day to sleep at home, because they flew from one destination to another without returning to England and he doesn't think he can survive another week under these conditions and be able to finish the race on Sunday with so few hours of sleep.

At the new stomp, louder than the others, Lando breaks and, wearing only his pajamas and headphones still in his ears, throws the pillow against the wall from which the offending sounds are coming. Stumbling into the blankets that he managed to drop to the floor as he twisted and turned, he storms to the door and goes knocking on Daniel's.

Getting no response Lando bangs his fist harder and insistently, until a ruffled and flushed Daniel, with his hair all messed up and short of breath, opens the door for him.

"Do you mind toning it down a bit?" Lando asks impatiently, but Daniel looks at him slyly "Why? Are you jealous?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

"No, absolutely no!", Lando stutters, "but I can't even talk on the phone with all the noises you make!" retorts the younger one.

"Well, if we bother you so much just go knock on Carlos's door and talk to him in person... he's on a different floor and in a different room than yours, so you don't have to hear me having fun and being turned on from the idea of me fucking someone in the mat-" Daniel’s rambling is stopped by Lando's waving hands "STOP! I am not listening and more importantly I don't get turned on by you doing anything to anyone... I'll go to Carlos, at least he will let me sleep in peace for one night", Lando concludes, turning his back and marching towards the room of his former teammate.

The Brit is so focused on dispelling his anger and not falling down the stairs that he does not see the knowing smile that adorns Daniel's face and does not hear Charles whispering, "Did we make it? Can I stop jumping on the bed and go back to playing with the PlayStation?", before the door closes behind the Aussie’s back.

\---

Someone is knocking insistently on the door and Carlos tries to ignore them. This person doesn't seem to want to give up though, so he gets out of the shower and, trying not to slip on the wet floor, ties a towel around his waist and goes to open it.

Of all the people who might have been on the other side of the door, Lando is the last he would have expected. They text and talk every night until they fall asleep, but they have never found themselves alone and face to face after the last race of 2020.

Carlos, however, doesn't have time to mull over his thoughts too much because Lando storms into his room and sits down heavily on the bed, snorting in frustration.

"Please can I sleep with you?", Lando begs, elbows resting on his knees and hands pulling at his hair, messing it up even more than they usually are.

"You.. You want to sleep with me?" Carlos asks, his voice trembling, confused and a little hopeful.

"Yes! Daniel is having someone over every fucking night and I haven't had a decent night's sleep in three weeks... I'm going crazy", replies Lando, on the verge of tears. He is so tired that he doesn’t fully realize what he is saying.

"Oh… you meant sleep as in sleep" Carlos murmurs under his breath.

Hearing the disappointment of the older’s beautiful voice, Lando looks up and, only in that moment, he notices Carlos's undressed state.

He takes in the dark and shiny tuft of hair, that Lando would just like to slip his hands into, the drops of water that fall from the hair and slide along the chest on the amber skin of the pectorals that the youngest would like to brush with curious fingers, toned and muscled arms that he would like to have around himself, the line of dark curly hair that descends until it disappears under the white towel that Lando would like to follow with his tongue until he tears that piece of cloth and- "That maybe for another night... I'm really too tired now". 

As soon as he realizes what he has said, Lando puts his hands to his mouth in shock and looks at the other one from under his lashes. What he sees, however, leaves him baffled. Carlos does not have a confused, angry - or worse - disgusted expression on his face. Instead, he smiles and in two steps Lando finds him between his legs.

"Lando, look at me. Are you serious or is it the tiredness talking?", asks Carlos, looking for the eyes of the younger one with his own "I need to know if you really think that or if it's a joke. Because well, for me it is not" continues the Spanish. He takes a breath to rearrange his thoughts and goes on "I would really like to sleep with you, in all ways. I would like to hold you in my arms, I would like to kiss you, I wish I could call you mine" he concludes.

Lando, at those words, stands up, takes the oldest by the collar of his shirt and presses their lips together. It's not sweet, it's not delicate, it's a clash of lips and teeth, but neither cares. 

Lando, however, is the first to break away and push Carlos away. "How can you tell me such a thing after you've been missing for months!" Lando spits, his voice low, but the poison clear between the words whispered between his teeth "you were gone, you didn't answer me anymore. Do you have any idea how bad I've been in these past months? Then we're back talking and now this? Carlos, I don't know if you understand, but I love you, I'm not going to let you play games with my feelings. Because if you were to disappear again, I don't think I can get out unscathed" he continues. When he meets Carlos's eyes, however, he finds them lucid and all the anger that had ignited his body, abandons him and Lando finds himself taking Carlos, who has let himself go to tears, in his arms. The older one repeats a series of sorry, I did it to protect us, I never leave you again and I love you interwoven with sobs that make his whole body shake.

Lando is blown away by the older man's reaction but immediately recovers on hearing Carlos' words.

"I love you so much", he repeats and pulls him in a crashing hug.

\---

When their breaths have returned to normal, the two men take turns getting ready for the night.

Lando is the first to finish and sits on the bed, watching his boyfriend put on a soft t-shirt and a sudden thought hits him. "Carlos?" he calls in a feeble voice. "but.. what are we? I know we have just declared our feelings but.. like, hypothetically.. if I had to introduce you to someone.. could I say that you are my boyfriend?" Lando continues a cheeky smile on his lips.

"Of course you are, cabron" replies Carlos slipping into bed with the other driver "I don't want to share you with anyone else anymore. Never again" he murmurs leaving a sweet kiss on the parted lips of the youngest.

"But now let's sleep, I can see that you are so tired you find it hard to keep your eyes open.. we have all the time in the world to talk about it, tomorrow or later" Carlos whispers, pushing a curl away from Lando's forehead.

"But if I close my eyes I can no longer see your ugly face" mutters Lando but, without too many complaining he turns and sneaks into the Spaniard's arms, his back against Carlos's chest who leaves him a kiss in his hair.

"But all in all, I have all the time in the world to look at it tomorrow" concludes Lando, his voice already slurred from sleep.

"Forever" replays Carlos before he closes his eyes too and hugs the smaller one to himself.

\---

The next morning Lando and Carlos are eating their breakfast. They are sitting on one of the few two-seater sofas in the paddock bar, so close they could be sitting on each other's lap and you wouldn't notice the difference. 

Daniel sees them from the hall and immediately writes a message to Charles.

The two lovebirds are so immersed in their bubble of happiness that they don't even notice the two friends who - taking two chairs from the neighboring tables - sit at the table with them.

"You know, _all cars can self drive, it’s just some can drive longer without crashing_ ” starts Daniel, startling Lando, who drops the spoon that he was using to try to make his boyfriend taste the foam of his cappuccino and looks at him with wide eyes.

“ _And these are the ones that need a bit of pushing from outside forces to get together in the pitlane_. You are welcome” Charles concludes, stealing one of the croissants that are on the table and giving it a bite, before Carlos manages to react and take it out of his hands.

Daniel takes a sip from Carlos' smoothie "Yuck, too healty after a night of sex, don't you fancy something more substantial?" he murmurs in disgust before getting up with Charles and going to the exit, leaving the two spluttering boyfriends speechless in the cafeteria. An annoyed "It was this morning not all night, I told you Carlos would have let me sleep!" from Lando the only thing they can hear over the slamming of the glass door.

**Author's Note:**

> BIG THANK YOU to [@loveyouhomex](https://loveyouhomex.tumblr.com/) (you can also find her [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/loveyouhomex/)) I'll probably end up breaking her one day. I apologize but if at some point you will notice the increase in errors in future stories it is because she has had enough of the mood swings that reading my fics cause her and told me to f*** off.
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr [@oopshiaddict](https://oopshiaddict.tumblr.com/)


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